Syracuse, NY –

Syracuse has received only 50.2 inches of snow this winter, compared with a normal snowfall of 124.5 inches. After nine straight years of winning the Golden Snowball award for the most snow among major Upstate cities, Syracuse may lose that distinction this year to Rochester.

Syracuse isn’t really all that sad about losing the title since they feel like a million bucks. According to the latest calculations from city budget officials, Syracuse taxpayers will save $1.1 million this year thanks to lower-than-normal snow removal costs.

Thanks to anemic snowfall, the department of public works spent less than expected on overtime pay for snowplow operators, rock salt, truck fuel and other winter expenses.

There were only four or five days when snowplows had to be on around-the-clock duty. Last year, 24-hour plow operations were needed more days than not.

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